How Did I Fall in Love With You?
by Treesamphetamine
Summary: This follow Neal's point of view. Thayet has just passed away and Jon is alone. Neal knows there's something that happened between Jon & Alanna. He goes on a mission to find out and bring them back together.


A/N This story came to me while I was listening to BSB Black & Blue. I hope you like it as much as I do.  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own this, but you can check back later.  
  
  
  
I sat in a chair in Prince Roald's chambers. I was here to comfort Roald on the death of his mother, Queen Thayet the Peerless. She was with the first Rider group when they were ambushed. She didn't make it out alive.  
  
"Who is to be the queen since your mother has, well, died?" I asked Roald politely, though this was not easy question to ask politely without offending anyone.  
  
"I don't know," Roald replied softly. He sniffled and continued, "It's obvious that Father loved Mother and he may not want to replace her. She would be difficult to replace. He would be wise to marry again, though he may not see it. He still has young children."  
  
Listening to Roald, I was amazed. How could anyone speak of their father as though he were not their father, but just merely a man to be discussed whether it be for politcs or gossip?  
  
"Who would he marry, may I ask? If he wanted to, of course," I asked kindly. Well, trying to be kindly at least. I wanted to get the information that I needed before I overstayed my welcome.  
  
"I wouldn't know. Father is not one to speak out about such private matters nor to let anyone see those such feels for any other than my mother," Roald replied stubbornly.  
  
"What of Lady Alanna? Your father and she have been friends for many years. Surely he may have felt something for her at one time?" I asked again.  
  
"He and Lady Alanna are only friends. And I doubt she will be willingly to love again since the death of the Baron of Pirate's Swoop. He never did see that gryffin coming. Father took it very hard as did Lady Alanna," Roald replied.  
  
"Very tragic," I replied, annoyed. Ever since Alanna the Lioness had been my knight-master I have been sure that there is something between her and the King. Their friendship is too strong. I am determined to discover what it is. I was so determined that I even asked the Lioness herself. She snapped at me saying that there was nothing and never was and asked if I would lay off the subject for eternity.  
  
"Thank you for allowing me to visit, Roald, but I must be going. I'm already running late to meet up with my own father," I lied. I walked to the door and walked out. Roald said something, but I didn't hear him. I made my way down the corridors to Sir Gareth the Younger's chambers. If anyone would know about Lady Alanna and King Jonathan, he would. For Mithros's sake, he was there and one of their best friends!  
  
  
  
I knocked on Sir Gary's door. He opened it and alowed me to enter. We both sat in the comfy chairs near the hearth. I always have enjoyed those chairs Gary has. They're comfy and poofy and......yeah. Hehe. Forget the chairs. Onto the main event!  
  
"Sir Gareth, I want to know what happened between Lady Alanna the Lioness and King Jonathan in their youth," I asked innocently.  
  
Gary nearly spit of his tea at my words. "What? There's was never anything between them. Ever."  
  
I gave him my pleading eyes and he sighed. "All right, all right. Alanna, Alan, and Jon were best friends while Alanna was a page. They studied together and Jon always favored Page Alan. Always. They were pretty normal until we squires went to the Black City. Alanna was only a page, but Jon had asked if she could also come because she really didn't have any page friends. Just us squires.  
  
"Jon and Alanna snuck off that night and went to the Black City. They faced the evil Ysandir and defeated them. That was the night Jon discovered that Alan wasn't Alan, but was Alanna."  
  
"How did he discover that?" I asked curiously.  
  
"One of the Ysandir stripped Alanna of her clothes. Jon saw the entire thing."  
  
"Did it change their friendship?" I asked eagerly.  
  
"Not a bit. In fact, it made it stronger. Jon chose Alanna as his squire. Of course, I tried to fight Jon for her, but he still got her." Gary sighed, remembering the days of his youth. "They had a romance. Jon fell in love with her a little before the Tusaine War. He kissed her there. Saved her from the Tusaine when she was captured. They became lovers when Alanna was 17. Jon was 20. They broke off 3 years later because Jon wanted to get married and Alanna didn't."  
  
"Wow. I always thought that ladies want to get married first and the men don't care for it," I said.  
  
"Well, Alanna is no average woman," Gary replied. "When she was younger, she never wanted love. At least that's what I've heard. You'd have to talk to Jonathan to get the entire story."  
  
Indeed I would try to do that.  
  
  
  
I ran nearly half-way across the palace to King Jonathan's quarters. He might not appreciate what I am doing, but later he would.  
  
I knocked on his door politely, completely aware that knights never ever do stuff to their destressed Kings.  
  
"Hello, Nealan," King Jonathan said politely. He invited me in and we both sat down in his favorite chairs near the windows where we could see the pages and squires training really hard. Jon smiled as one of the pages got whacked by a rogue staff (A/N Read Redemption Part 4 for reference)  
  
"What do you need?" Jonathan asked me. I could see his eyes were a little red.  
  
"I want to know about Lady Alanna and you," I asked innocently.  
  
Jon raised his eyebrows. "I don't know what you mean."  
  
"Romance, maybe?" I suggested.  
  
Jon looked up quickly. "Who told you that?"  
  
"Sir Gareth the Younger of Naxen, Majesty," I told him in my most innocent voice.  
  
Jon cursed under his breath.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"He was correct when he said that," Jon told me, sighing. "I found out that Alan was Alanna the night in the Black City. It didn't change our friendship, though it was quite different to find that Alan was a girl turning into a woman. I began to love her. By the Tusaine War you could say I was bursting to tell her, but it was hard to lest anyone think us gay."  
  
I tried not to but I snickered. Jon pretended not to notice.  
  
"Did you tell her, Majesty?" I asked.  
  
"Yes, two years later. It was her birthday. Her 17th birthday. She dressed as a lady with a black wig." He smiled to himself. "I saw her and walked out to her. I kissed her that night. I told her we were meant to be together, but she didn't believe me."  
  
I gaped. I had never imagined the King with any other woman but the Queen, let alone Alanna the Lioness.  
  
"She was your squire?" I asked.  
  
"Yes and much more. She came to me that night. She spoke words that night that I never thought she'd say and will never forget."  
  
"What'd she say?"  
  
"She said, 'I'm scared. Help me, please.'"  
  
"She did? You're serious?"  
  
Jon nodded. "We saw each other for 3 years after that. We broke off in the desert when I asked her to marry me."  
  
"She didn't want to?"  
  
"She might have, but I pushed it too much and we fought. She married Cooper, of course. I don't blame her."  
  
"Cooper? I thought she married the Baron of Pirate's Swoop," I asked, confused.  
  
"The Baron of Pirate's Swoop was George Cooper, King of Thieves long before. He loved that job, but he loved Alanna more. He was my best friend too. I gave him Pirate's Swoop and a pardon when he returned with Alanna 2 months before my coronation. Alanna brought me a surprise as well," Jon told me.  
  
"What was it?"  
  
"It was Thayet jian Wilima. I suppose Alanna brought her to me so that I would marry Thayet, which I did only after I proposed once more to Alanna," Jon said sadly. "I loved Thayet, but never as much as I did Alanna. I cried the day George and Alanna married. Thayet knew how I felt. We loved each other, but not a passionate love."  
  
I was stunned by the King's passionate words. Just stunned. I never imagined him doing anything else but being King. Likewise for Alanna.  
  
I ventured on. "Do you still love Alanna? Lady Alanna?"  
  
He looked towards me, but not at me. Into space, remembering the past. "I always have, always will. I felt terribly guilty when George passed away. Like I had some how cursed him because I was so jealous."  
  
A King jealous? Wow. This proved more and more that he was human. Kel should come and talk to him!  
  
"Do you plan to remarry? Some of your children are still young and need a mother's care," I said carefully.  
  
"I don't plan to," Jon said looking down. "I have no regrets in my life. If I remarried it would seem as though I do."  
  
"What of Lady Alanna?"  
"  
She would never marry me, nor anyone else. I will not fool myself again and make believe that there still is time to fall for her again. I don't have that kind of time." Tears fell from his sapphire blue eyes.  
  
He looked so old now. He was only in his early forty's. I felt bad for making all the hard memories return to him. It was heartbreaking to watch him like that. All hurt and full of emotions.   
  
I quietly left to allow him some peace and quiet.  
  
  
  
At dinner I secretly told Kel of my findings. She didn't take it as eagerly as I did.  
  
"Why did you have to go and upset the King with your selfish questions?" she asked scornfully.  
  
"Kel, I, I just want to help him. Maybe we could get him and Alanna the Lioness back together," I told her.  
  
"You invaded his privacy to find out stuff about something that has nothing to do with you. You shouldn't have done that. I'm disappointed." Kel took her tray and walked away from me.  
  
This was not going very well. Nope.  
  
  
  
The following day, Alanna the Lioness arrived at court to pay her respects to Jonathan. I took this as my chance to speak with her.  
  
"Lady Alanna, may I speak with you?" I asked politely. Very politely. Her temper still scared me out of my wits.  
  
"Yes, Nealan," she told me, using the name I despise.  
  
We sat down on the nesarest bench outside in the garden. How we got in a garden I do not know. We just did.  
  
"What do you need?" Alanna asked me, untying her hair from its messy pony tail.  
  
"I want to know if you would marry King Jonathan? If you could?" I asked innocently AGAIN.  
  
She was taken aback. "What? Where did you hear anything about romance between Jon and I?"  
  
"Well, I heard it from Sir Gary."  
  
She mumbled something like, "Gary was never able to keep his mouth shut."  
  
"And King Jonathan also told me," I said.  
  
"He did? And why? Did you ask?"  
  
"I did ask." I gulped.  
  
"Does he want me?" She had a glint in her eyes. Of excitement? Joy? Love? Annoyance?  
  
"I believe he does," I told her softly.  
  
The glint left suddenly. "Well he can't have me. I am a widow and need no other man in my life," She said hotly.  
  
"But he is a widower. You are in the same situation. Almost," I said.  
  
She shook her head. "I will not take Jonathan. We are friends. No more."  
  
I looked into her face. Her eyes betrayed her words. She looked as though she wanted Jonathan to love her. She would marry him, I knew, if only he asked.  
  
"Please, Lioness. Give him another chance. Please," I begged her.  
  
"No." She walked stiffly away.  
  
I sighed. What could I do now? Then, an idea hit me. I would need help to make it work. It could work. It would have to.  
  
  
  
For the next few days, I was up in my chambers devising the plan to make Alanna the Queen of Tortall and Jonathan's wife.   
  
One week later it was finished. Alanna, luckily, was staying a few weeks longer. I still needed time to prepare this for it to work.  
  
I knocked on the door marked 'Numair Salmalin and Veralidaine Sarrasri.' Daine answered it.  
  
"Why, hello, Nealan. Is there any animals that need assistance?" she asked.  
  
"No, Daine. I need to speak with Numair," I told her.  
  
She allowed me entrance and called for Numair. He came out and said, "What have you been up to, Neal?"  
  
I looked from him to Daine. Numair whispered something to Daine and she left.  
  
"What do you need? Love potion? You know I don't do those."  
  
"No, I need your help. Can you sing?"  
  
  
  
I gathered Gary, Raoul, Numair, and Roald into my chambers everyday for the next week. They all had agreed to the plan. Roald was skeptical, but he joined anyway.  
  
We practiced long and hard. Sometimes Raoul would ask why we were doing this and Gary would then remind him. Raoul would then slap his forehead.  
  
Finally, the big night arrived. The night we would perform. The men were nervous. I tried to keep them calm, but I was just as nervous.  
  
One of the heralds announced us to the court. Jon looked interested and Alanna looked confused.  
  
Raoul, Gary, Roald, Numair, and I walked out, each of us praying not to make a fool of ourselves. I could see Kel looking at me for an answer. I had forgotten to tell her of the Plan.  
  
We positioned ourselves as we had practiced. This was it. There was no turning back. We prayed it would work, well at least I did.  
  
Then, the piano began to play and I began singing softly.  
  
Neal: 'Remember when, we never needed each other  
The best of friends like  
Sister and Brother  
We understood, we'd never be,  
Alone'  
  
Numair: 'Those days are gone, and I want so much  
The night is long and I need your touch  
Don't know what to say  
I never meant to feel this way  
Don't want to be  
Alone tonight'  
  
All: 'What can I do, to make you mine  
Falling so hard so fast this time  
What did I say, what did you do?  
How did I fall in love with you?'  
  
Jonathan walked over to Alanna and took her hand. She held his. Jon led her to dance. Soon others joined them.  
  
Raoul: 'I hear your voice  
And I start to tremble  
Brings back the child that, I resemble'  
  
Gary: 'I cannot pretend, that we can still be friends  
Don't want to be,  
Alone tonight'  
  
All: 'What can I do, to make you mine  
Falling so hard so fast this time  
What did I say, what did you do?  
How did I fall in love with you?'  
  
Neal: 'Oh I want to say this right  
And it has to be tonight  
Just need you to know, oh yeah'  
  
Numair: 'I don't want to live this life  
I don't want to say goodbye  
With you I wanna spend  
The rest of my life'  
  
All: 'What can I do, to make it right  
Falling so hard so fast this time  
What did I say, what did you do?  
How did I fall in love with you?'  
  
All: 'What can I do, to make it right  
Falling so hard so fast this time'  
Neal: 'Everything's changed, we never knew  
How did I fall,  
in love ,  
with you?'  
  
Jonathan held Alanna close. She looked up into his sapphire eyes and saw love. Jon kissed her and said, "Alanna, will you marry me?"  
  
Alanna held his hand in her own. "Yes, I will."  
  
Jonathan kissed his Alanna softly.  
  
Kel ran up to me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me. She whipered, "You did it, Neal. You did it."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N Did you think that was sweet? Sad? Totaly cool ending? Tell me what you think by reviewing. I love reviews and would LOVE to have some for this fic.  
  
  
Lady Alanna Salmalin of Conte, Alanna/Jonathan Shipper Extraordineir (SP?) 


End file.
